As Aishath Ibrahim Didi sat on the 'undhoali' at her house Topaz in Addu City, she still had hopes of hearing some news, any news, about her missing son.
The family is facing an extremely difficult time as her son, Mayameen Ali, has been missing since going out for a swim on Saturday. The entire house seemed lifeless. Mayameen's father Ali Didi, currently battling cancer, was resting in the bedroom, while Aishath sat wistfully in the living area.
Mayameen, who is immensely loved by his family, left for football practice on Saturday. His mother Aishath said that he came home after practice and asked ‘what’s for breakfast?’
"He came back home around 10:30 - 11:00 and asked what was there for breakfast. When I answered 'mashuni and roshi', he said he did not want that for breakfast and asked for MVR 10 to buy something instead. So, he took MVR 10 from his dad and left to go to the shop", she said.
"He came to me and asked for MVR 10 to buy breakfast. So, I showed him the keys to the cupboard and asked him to take money from there. After he took the money, he kept the keys on its previous spot, came to me and said that he actually took just 10 Rufiya and left with the money", Mayameen's dad contributed.
According to Aishath, he came back home from practice with two other pairs of shoes belonging to his friends. 45 minutes after he left with the money, the family heard the devastating news.
"As I was performing ablution in the toilet for afternoon prayers, my wife came to me, in tears, and told me that our so had gone missing. That he’s lost at sea, that he fallen into the sea. So, I stopped immediatelt and rushed, I was also in tears", explained Ali Didi with utmost sorrow.
Mayameen and the two other boys, Ali Fahmy and Ali Rifau went for a swim in the area behind Hithadhoo hospital on Saturday. While Raif was found the same day, Mayameen and Fahmy remain missing. Mayameen’s parents are still struggling to accept that he is missing and still holds on to the hope that their son would return to them soon.
MNDF officers, as well as ordinary citizens are searching for the missing boys tirelessly and the family hopes that they can be found alive.
